David Moyes launched a scathing attack on the “terrible” officiating during West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Southampton on Sunday, telling the VAR: “You need to go to Specsavers”.
West Ham saw their run of four straight wins in all competitions come to an end as Declan Rice’s second-half strike cancelled out Romain Perraud’s controversial opener.
Moyes was irate that Perraud’s deflected effort was allowed to stand after referee Peter Bankes appeared to have obstructed Jarrod Bowen’s attempt to reach the ball and clear ahead of the eventual goalscorer.
“How have we not got three points?” Moyes said, after watching his side muster 25 shots - but only four on target.
“The real reason is the referee, the referee gets in the way of the ability for us to defend. The ball comes out and Jarrod Bowen goes to get the ball and the referee blocks Jarrod from getting to it and the boy scores from it.
“Ridiculous, it really is. Wait until you see the angles and the pictures and you will soon see how terrible it is that he allows it to go on.”
Moyes was also furious that West Ham were denied a penalty during the first-half, when Tomas Soucek was wrestled to the ground by Perraud when attempting to attack a corner.
The Hammers were given a spot-kick for a similar offence by Fulham’s Andreas Perreira during last weekend’s home win and the Scot could not believe VAR did not intervene at St. Mary’s.
“The penalty kick on Tomas Soucek is a judo move by the player who is marking him,” Moyes added. “There must be new rules in football, so you should check out the new rules which are that you can grab them right around the waist and you can hold them and then you can put them in a judo move, where you slam them down.
“He gets him and throws him right down, it’s unreal. It’s not the referee, it is VAR. Whoever was on VAR today needs to go to Specsavers, I’ve got to say.”
